Genotypic variation in response to extreme events may facilitate kelp adaptation under future climates

Alsuwaiyan, Nahlah A.; Vranken, Sofie; Filbee‐Dexter, Karen; Cambridge, Marion L.; Coleman, Melinda A.; Wernberg, Thomas

doi:10.3354/meps13802

Cited by 24 publications

(21 citation statements)

References 74 publications

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“…Gametophytes of Ecklonia radiata used in this experiment came from gametophyte stock cultures kept at the Indian Ocean Marine Research Centre, Crawley, Western Australia (31°58'52.0" S 115°48'57.7" E) under controlled red light and temperature conditions, as described in Alsuwaiyan et al (2021). Stock cultures were originally established from sporophytes haphazardly collected from 11 m depth by SCUBA divers from Hamelin Bay, Western Australia (34°15'22.07" S, 115°0'33.48" E) in April 2019.…”

Section: Experimental Designmentioning

confidence: 99%

Green gravel as a vector of dispersal for kelp restoration

et al. 2022

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Kelp forests are experiencing substantial declines due to climate change, particularly ocean warming and marine heatwaves, and active interventions are necessary to halt this decline. A new restoration approach termed “green gravel” has shown promise as a tool to combat kelp forest loss. In this approach, substrata (i.e. small gravel) are seeded with kelp propagules, reared in controlled conditions in the laboratory before out-planting to degraded reefs. Here, we tested the feasibility of cultivating Australia’s dominant kelp, Ecklonia radiata on green gravel with the aim of optimising the seeding conditions for E.radiata. We seeded substrata (i.e. gravel), that had different surface texture and size, with E. radiata gametophytes at two average seeding densities: high density of ~230 fragments mL-1 and low density of ~115 fragments mL-1. The tested substrata were small basalt, large basalt, crushed laterite and limestone. Gametophytes successfully adhered to all four tested substrata, however, gametophytes that adhered to the limestone gravel (the natural reef type off Western Australia) suffered extreme tissue bleaching likely due to dissolution and decrease in seawater pH. Gametophytes that adhered to the three other test substrata were healthy, fertilised following seeding and microscopic sporophytes were observed attaching to the gravel. Substrata and seeding density did not affect sporophyte growth (i.e. length) at the time of transferring into aquarium tanks (after three months of rearing in incubators) but over time substrata showed a significant effect on maximum lengths. After 12 months in aquarium tanks, sporophytes on both small and large basalt gravel were significantly larger than those on the crushed laterite. Gametophytes were also found to not only survive on the gravel itself but also detach from the gravel, settle successfully, fertilise and develop into healthy sporophytes ex situ on the surrounding substratum through lateral transfer. Substrata had a significant effect on density of detached gametophytes with rougher and larger gravel showing higher densities of detachment. Our results show the potential for green gravel to be a vector of dispersal for restoration in Western Australia where natural recovery of kelp forests has failed.

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Section: Experimental Designmentioning

confidence: 99%

Green gravel as a vector of dispersal for kelp restoration

et al. 2022

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“…These results align with previous findings that increased temperature on bull kelp and have found that increased temperatures result in reduced germination rates (Schiltroth 2021), decreased spore settlement, and reduced gametophyte growth (Lind and Konar 2017; Muth et al 2019). Increased temperatures also result in decreased gametophyte survival and sporophyte recruitment in numerous other kelp species including giant kelp ( Macrocystis pyrifera) (Hollarsmith et al 2020), stalked kelp ( Pterygophora californica ) (Howard 2014), spiny kelp ( Ecklonia radiat a) (Alsuwaiyan 2021), sugar kelp ( Saccharina latissima ), and dragon kelp ( Eualaria fistulosa ) (Lind and Konar 2017).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Examining the Reproductive Success of Bull Kelp (Nereocystis luetkeana) in Climate Change Conditions

Korabik

Winquist

Hollarsmith

2022

Preprint

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Climate change is affecting marine ecosystems through warming temperatures and ocean acidification. From 2014-2016, an extensive marine heatwave extended along the west coast of North America and had devastating effects on numerous species during this period, including bull kelp (Nereocystis luetkeana). Bull kelp is an important foundation species in coastal ecosystems, but the impacts of marine heat waves and ocean acidification on specific parts of the bull kelp life cycle have not been fully investigated. To determine the effects of changing temperatures and carbonate levels on Northern California's bull kelp populations, we collected sporophylls from mature bull kelp individuals in Point Arena, CA. At the Bodega Marine Laboratory, we released spores and proceeded to culture microscopic bull kelp gametophytes in a common garden experiment with a fully factorial design crossing modern conditions (11.63±0.54°C and 7.93±0.26pH) with projected climate change conditions (15.56±0.83°C and 7.64±0.32pH). Our results found that both increasing temperatures and decreasing pH influenced growth and egg production of bull kelp microscopic stages. We found that increased temperature and decreased pH had interacting effects on both sporophyte growth and egg production. Increased temperature generally resulted in decreased gametophyte survival and offspring production. In contrast, decreasing pH had less of an effect, but generally resulted in increased gametophyte survival and offspring production. Additionally, we found that increased temperature significantly impacted the rate of production by causing female gametophytes to produce offspring earlier than under low temperature conditions. Our findings inform better predictions of the impacts of climate change on coastal ecosystems as well as provide key insight into environmental dynamics regulating the bull kelp lifecycle.

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“…There is great potential to target resilient donor plants, increase their quantity with commercial cultivation, and then propagate strong genotypes on seeded substrates spread onto degraded reefs to increase resilience of seaweed forests to climate change and other threats (Alsuwaiyan et al. 2021, Wood et al. 2021).…”

Section: Figmentioning

confidence: 99%

Leveraging the blue economy to transform marine forest restoration

Filbee‐Dexter

Wernberg

Barreiro

et al. 2022

Journal of Phycology

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The UN Decade of Ecosystem Restoration is a response to the urgent need to substantially accelerate and upscale ecological restoration to secure Earth’s sustainable future. Globally, restoration commitments have focused overwhelmingly on terrestrial forests. In contrast, despite a strong value proposition, efforts to restore seaweed forests lag far behind other major ecosystems and continue to be dominated by small‐scale, short‐term academic experiments. However, seaweed forest restoration can match the scale of damage and threat if moved from academia into the hands of community groups, industry, and restoration practitioners. Connecting two rapidly growing sectors in the Blue Economy—seaweed cultivation and the restoration industry—can transform marine forest restoration into a commercial‐scale enterprise that can make a significant contribution to global restoration efforts.

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Genotypic variation in response to extreme events may facilitate kelp adaptation under future climates

Cited by 24 publications

References 74 publications

Green gravel as a vector of dispersal for kelp restoration

Green gravel as a vector of dispersal for kelp restoration

Examining the Reproductive Success of Bull Kelp (Nereocystis luetkeana) in Climate Change Conditions

Leveraging the blue economy to transform marine forest restoration

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